KOCZ's signal is a mere 100 watts, so low that its reach is only 10 to15 miles. Mr. Freeman cannot even tune in from his home. But thestation has become an unlikely lifeline in this town of 22,000,helping promote local artists and church events in ways thatcommercial stations either cannot or will not.

Advocates for low-power FM, or LPFM, as it is called, say the stationsare a slight corrective to the consolidation of commercial radio. Soonthere will be more: this month President Obama signed the LocalCommunity Radio Act, which repeals restrictions on such stations andallows the Federal Communications Commission to give out more 100-wattlicenses.

Freeing space on the radio dial for local voices might seem a mootpoint in an age when anyone can start an Internet radio station. Butthe appropriation of the public airwaves remains a vital and, forsome, very emotional issue.

A majority of Americans "still get their news and culture over thebroadcast dial," said Hannah Sassaman, a longtime advocate ofcommunity radio. For Ms. Sassaman and others, this month's billsigning was the culmination of 10 years of lobbying for more access tothe airwaves. "I care about this because I have seen these stationslight people up and cause political coverage, local music andcommunity organizing to happen around the country and the world," Ms.Sassaman said.

KOCZ, for instance, helped to bring zydeco music back to the radiodial in this part of Louisiana. Zydeco, a potent blend of Cajun,rhythm and blues and, among a younger generation, hip-hop, oftenfeatures accordion and washboard and is a passion of people in theregion. It is played on KOCZ every day between 6 and 8 p.m.

"It helps promote that culture — and that's something that's verysignificant for the African-American community here," said Mr.Freeman, who slyly added that he thought commercial stations hadstarted playing more zydeco since KOCZ started broadcasting in 2002."They know that we make them better," he said.

Mr. Freeman describes KOCZ as "a mission." A retired executive forBell South, he calls himself a "corporate guy" who became a convert tolow-power radio, thanks to Ms. Sassaman and other communityorganizers. Low-power stations are designated for noncommercial uses,so many are licensed to churches and schools. KOCZ is licensed to theSouthern Development Foundation, a civil rights group that grantsscholarships and runs a business incubator but has fallen on hardtimes. The foundation treats the station as a 24-hour form ofcommunity outreach.

Shows are hosted by about 20 volunteers like Mr. Belton, who plays R&Band hip-hop on weekday afternoons, and Lena Charles, the chairwoman ofthe foundation board, who hosts a weekend talk show and held candidateforums for the local elections last year.

"Politically, some people don't talk to other people," Ms. Charlessaid. "But we talk to everybody. We're a bridge sometimes."

Each show depends on the underwriting of local sponsors like funeralhomes and beauty salons. "Without them, we'd be pretty much shutdown," Mr. Freeman said. Recently three microphones at KOCZ were outof order, forcing guests to share the one remaining mike with thehost.

Now low-power stations are few and far between and exist mostly inrural areas, squeezed in among the commercial stations. It isn'talways comfortable. KOCZ has been moved around the dial by the FederalCommunications Commission a number of times, mirroring the largerstruggle to gain more space for small stations.

The community radio act was passed during the lame-duck session ofCongress last month. After President Obama signed the act, JuliusGenachowski, the chairman of the F.C.C., called it a "big win" forradio listeners.

"Low-power FM stations are small, but they make a giant contributionto local community programming," he said in a statement. Notably, theact may make it possible for some low-power outlets to sprout up inurban areas, where they could reach more listeners than a station likeKOCZ does. Now it is up to the F.C.C. to start accepting applicationsfor new licenses.

The station in Opelousas has led Mr. Freeman to conclude that biggeris not always better. For KOCZ, smaller is better, because smallermeans more local.

One day last year when Mr. Belton was on the air, a woman walked intothe station (located in an otherwise unremarkable white-paneled housein the middle of town) and asked for an announcement to be broadcastabout her lost dog.

"She was able to get her dog back the next day," said Helen Pickney,the station manager, still marveling at the story.

KOCZ doesn't know how many listeners it has, since it is too small tobe rated. Mr. Freeman instead cites a different sort of rating: thewaiting list for people who want to host a show. There are more than20 on the list, he said — enough to start a second station.